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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING WATER FROM AIR BAGS OR .THE LIKE Filed Dec. 11. 1930 INVENTOR A e/var H. film ATTORN EYS Alf-z l5. PLASNGS,

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES i HENRY R. MINOR, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T LIQUID CARBONIC CORPORA- ,1

TION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING WATER FROM AIR BAGS OR THE LIKE Application filed December 11, 1930. Serial No. 501,597.

This invention relates to a process and. apparatus for removing water or other liquids from air bags or similar articles.

In the pneumatic tire industry expandible rubber .bags called air bags are used during the vulcanization of the tires to force the tires properly into the molds. It is customary to pass liquid or gaseous fluids thru or into the air bags during this operation to assist in properly vulcanizing the tires. Considerable difliculty has been experienced in draining the air bags of the liquid fluids or of condensates after the vulcanizing operation. Different methods have been used for this purpose, including applying a Vacuum to the container or airbag. This, however, is not entirely satisfactory because while the vacuum withdraws the liquid, it also 001- lapses the air bags causing cracking and otherwise severely reducing the life thereof. Another method which has been used consists in placing the container in such a manner that its outlet is at the lowest point and then collapsing that portion of the bag by external pressure to thereby force the water out the outlet. The squeezing action which is given the air bag in this operation greatly lessens the life thereof.

The general objects of the invention are to avoid and overcome the disadvantages of the prior known methods by the provision of a simple economical and efficient method and apparatus for removing liquid from air bags or containers, which method and apparatus will have no ill effect on said air bags or containers.

It is an object of the invention to design an apparatus which can handle various sized air bags and a method which is readily applicable to a plurality of containers.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are achieved by the method and apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described below, it being understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form and manner illustrated and showing it in solid lines in its operative position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but with the parts in operative position, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 5 indicates a base to which is secured an upright post 6. An arm 7 is slidably mounted on the post 6 and is adapted to be clamped in any position thereon by suitable means, such as a thumbscrew 8. In order to eliminate the necessity of operating the thumbscrew 8 each time it is desired to move the arm 7 up or down on the post 6, the thumb screw may be dispensed with and the arm 7 may be given such a sliding fit on the post 6 that it will stay by friction wherever it is moved to. Secured to the arm 7 is a T 9 which is connected to a suitable source of air pressure by a conduit 11 thru hand valve 12. The other side of the T may be connected to a discharge pipe or nozzle 13 by way of a hand valve 14. As illustrated in Figure 3 the arm 7 is designed so that it will be substantially rigid in a vertical direction, but will be somewhat springy and yieldable in a horizontal direction. In order to limit the downward movement of the arm 7 a pin 24 may be secured to the arm 7, which pin contacts with the base 5 to position the tube 15 just off the bottom of the air bag as shown in Figure 2.

Secured to the bottom of the T 9. is a tube 15 upon which is mounted a cup 16 which makes a sliding but gas-tight fit therewith. Suitable means are provided to resiliently position the cup 16 on the tube 15 and may include a collar 17 adj ustably fixed to the tube and a spring 18 connected at its ends to the cup 16 and collar 17.

An air bag or other similar container is indicated by the numeral 21 and liquid therein by the numeral 22. The air bag 21 is provided with the usual stem 23 for inflating and deflating purposes. Means (not shown) may be provided to properly position the air bag on the base 5.

The operation is as follows: With the apparatus in the position shown in Figure 1, an

air bag 21 having liquid 22 therein to be removed, is placed on the base 5 and the arm 7 is moved down and clamped in the dotted position shown in Figure 1. In this position of the apparatus the tube 15 extends down thru the stem 23 into the air bag and the cup 16 makes a fluid tight connection with end of the stem 23 as shown in dotted lines. The hand valve 12 is now opened so that air under pressure will flow thru T 9 and tube 15 down into the air bag and establish a definite air pressure therein. The arm 7 is now moved down to the position shown in Figure 2. The pin 24: contacts with the base 5 as shown to position the tube 15 just off the bottom of the air bag. By applying the air pressure to the interior of the bag thru the tube 15 before the tube is immersed in the liquid, the liquid is not splashed up in the bag, which fact would necessitate a longer time for drainage purposes.

The hand valve 12 is now closed and then the hand valve 14 is opened whereupon the air under pressure in the air bag will force the liquid 22 out thru the tube 15 and discharge nozzle 13, whereby all liquid will be removed from the bag. The arm 7 is thereupon returned to the full line position in Figure 1, whereupon the air bag can be removed and the process repeated. As the air bag is built to withstand internal pressure the foregoing process is in no way injurious to the air bag.

While the invention is particularly shown and described for use with air bags, it will be appreciated that the principles thereof can be adapted to other containers.

In conformity to the patent statutes only one specific form of the apparatus and process has been specially described, however, it will be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited thereby but is defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. That the method of removing liquid from air bags, which comprises standing the air bag in an upright position with the stem at the bottom, applying air pressure to the interior of the bag, while maintaining air pressure above atmospheric pressure within the bag, inserting a tube thru the stem of the bag down into the liquid and opening said tube to the atmosphere so that the air pressure in the bag forces the liquid out the tube.

2. That method of removing liquid from air bags, which comprises applying air pressure to the interior of the bag, while maintaining excess pressure within the bag, inserting a tube thru the stem of the bag down into the liquid and opening said tube to a pressure below that in the bag, so that the air prfissure in the bag forces the liquid out the tu e.

3. The method of removing liquid from an expansible container having a hollow stem for the admission of a pressure medium to the container, which comprises applying air pressure to the interior of the container, inserting a tube through the stem down into the liquid in the container and opening said tube to a pressure below that in the bag, so that the air pressure in the container forces the liquid out the tube.

4. The method of positively draining air bags, which consists of applying air pressure to the interior of the bag above the surface of the liquid in the bag, inserting a tube into the liquid in the air bag, and opening the tube to the atmosphere whereby the liquid will be forced out the tube and discharged.

5. That method of removing liquid from an expansible container having a hollow stem for the admission of a pressure medium to the container, which consists in standing said container so that the liquid will collect in a body therein, applying air pressure to the interior of said container above the level of the liquid therein, inserting a tube through the item into the body of the liquid, and opening said tube to a pressure under that in the container.

6. Apparatus for removing liquid from air bags comprising a tube, means for making a sliding substantially air-tight connection between said tube and the stem of said air bag, means for connecting the interior of the bag thru said tube with air under pressure, means for clamping the tube so that it extends through the stem substantially down to the bottom of the liquid in the air bag and means for opening the tube to the atmosphere whereby the air pressure in the bag forces the liquid out the tube.

7. Apparatus for removing liquid from air bags comprising a tube, means for male ing a substantially air-tight connection between said tube and the stem of said air bag, means for connecting the interior of the bag with air under pressure, means for clamping the tube so that it extends through the stem substantially down to the bottom of the liquid in the air bag and means for opening the tube to the atmosphere whereby the air pressure in the bag forces the liquid out the tube.

8. In combination in apparatus for removing liquid from an expansible fluid pressure container having a hollow inflating stem, a tube, means for making an air-tight connection between said tube and the container, means mounting said tube for movement to and from air-tight relation with said container, said tube being adapted to extend through the stem and in position at the inner end thereof or into the liquid in the container, conduit means for supplying air under pressure to the interior of said container thru said tube, means for opening the tube to a lower pressure whereby the air pressure within the container will force the liquid out the tube. V

9. In apparatus for removing water from air bags, a tube adapted to be extended into the stem of the air bag, means for adjustably holding the tube in or out of the stem,

a cup on said tube making a sliding airtight connection therewith, means resiliently positioning said cup on said tube, said cup being formed to make an air-tight coupling between the tube and stem when the tube is moved into the stem and means for alternately connecting said tube to sources of differential pressure.

10. In apparatus for removing water from air bags, a tube adapted to be extended into the stem of the air bag, a cup on said tube making a sliding air-tight connection therewith, means resiliently positioning said cup on said tube, said cup being formed to make an air-tight coupling between the tube and stem when the tube is moved into the stem and means for alternately connecting said tube to sources of differential pressure.

HENRY R. MINOR. 

